I've already baked the biscuits. I used to make my own biscuits, then I started using the frozen biscuits. But for the last couple of years I have used canned biscuits...Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Butter Tastin. According to the recipe that I faithfully follow, I used 12 grands last year. So, I baked the same amount this year. This year I cut the biscuits in half before baking them...more surface to get crusty. After I took them out of the oven and let them cool a bit, I broke them into quarters and put them back in the oven that I had turned down to 300 and left them for another 10 minutes. I wanted them to be a bit more crusty. I will break them up more before I add them to the dressing. I think I might have used the food processor last year. Or maybe I didn't...I didn't make a note about using it.
And now it's time to make the cornbread. Or Egg Bread, in this case. It's what my mom always used in her dressing, so it's what I always use. There's no sugar in this recipe, so there is no vaguely sweet flavor to the dressing.
Egg Bread
Sift together:
1 1/2 cups white corn meal
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
Add:
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
Mix until blended. Meanwhile, melt
2 tablespoons shortening, in hot oven
Add hot drippings to cornbread mixture and mix well. Pour into hot pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes in 450ยบ F oven.
I make a quadruple recipe of dressing, so I make a quadruple recipe of the egg bread. I bake it in a large (almost 12" X almost 16" X 2") Wilton cake pan. When I pour the quadrupled recipe in the cake pan, it comes to within about 1/2" of the top. I'm watching it now as it bakes and it has come level to the top of the pan, but I don't remember it spilling over in the past so I'm assuming that it isn't going to make a mess in the oven.
I've also already made the croutons. I used half a loaf of white bread, cut into small cubes. I melted a stick and a half of butter in the big Wilton cake pan and then dumped the bread cubes in and stirred. I put it in a 375 oven, stirring every few minutes. I think it was in there for 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, I have been doing battle with a fly in the kitchen. I saw it just as soon as I started eating my oatmeal. I've made several attempts to execute it with my battery powered fly swatter, but it has evaded my attacks. It sits waiting while I approach. Then it flies away without my being able to touch it with the electrified grid head of the paddle...it looks like a smallish tennis racket. When it flies away, I'm left standing there with a bewildered expression on my face, trying to locate its new perch. I've wasted a bit of time during my fly hunt. All the baked goods are covered with clean dish towels, though, so the fly can't get to them.
The egg bread just came out of the oven. Of course, I had to test it...a small slice with butter. I pronounce it "good!"
I might be back later on, when I actually put everything together and create the dressing. Here's a photo of the biscuits, croutons, and egg bread. Oh, and my rock. It's my favorite rock of all time. Smooth, a slightly flattened egg-shape. I love it...don't judge me.
